Fashioning cities in the new fashion industry.
Ever wondered what architecture has to do with fashion? Read on to find out.
Image credit: Unsplash
William McDonough gave the definition of fashion as a verb, with the example that an architect fashions a building. I see architecture play a prominent role in the new fashion industry. The design skills combined with extensive knowledge of natural materials, as well as engineering and technology, are in an architect's toolbox.
As you perhaps know, I obsess over all things circular economy from the lens of the fashion industry. For me, fashion is everywhere, in everything we create. All products we human beings create from fibers, materials, textiles, fabrics all end up as a component in the fashion industry. This brings me to something other than apparel, footwear and accessories : cities.
Cities are build from the ground up. Green construction is on the rise, but there's a problem in smaller countries as The Netherlands : the ground to build on to provide a growing population with housing opportunities. This is where Dutch architect Koen Olthuis from Waterstudio who developed The Floating Vision comes in. When there is no space left on land, building on water is the next best option. He calls what this will become, "dynamic cities", where summer and winter seasons call for different placements.
Do dynamic cities bring us to collective prosperity? Well, it's a good start in my opinion. What will initially only be available to the elite, I do not perceive it as too exclusive and rather as the work that needs to be done to prepare for a future where cities change and, not to be too pessimistic, but where our landscape will adjust to rising tides.
Why I care
As a native "Rotterdammer", I've always been aware that this city is located 6 meters below sea level. Fortunately, impeccable water management has made the place safe to live in. However, for how long will this last is the question. As we know, the only constant is change and with the climate changing faster than we common people imagined (not looking at the scientists here, they've known for much longer!), I seriously wonder about the population's safety in the decades to come.
Rotterdam. Image credit: Unsplash
By building on the water, housing has the potential to be flexible in the sense that a rising tide may be already anticipated for by the architects and engineers building on water. I strongly trust in Science, which is the only way for me to stay optimistic about a brighter future.
Now, I'd love to get your take on housing on water. Do you believe it is going to happen in the near future? Do you expect to see it in your surroundings in the coming 5-10 years? Let me know in the comments below or find me on Instagram or Clubhouse.
In the meantime, I'm going to daydream about living on an island surrounded by other islands on which beautiful architecture is built.
Image credit: Unsplash